Currently wishing I didn't have to do any grading. Before that, graduate student and new mom. Now an actual Dr. of Something or Other and the Kid is two and some months. Before that, a Southern girl in the West. Now a Southern girl in the South, dreaming of being in the West. Before that, I can't remember. Still waiting for the flying car.

(The First) 13 Reasons the United States Has Gone Insane

The United States has gone insane. Seriously. Healthcare sucks. We're at the bottom of the barrel statistically in so many ways. Conservatives have the dumbest talking points ever. No one can count. No one really knows the definition of socialism. So, I'm starting a list. I have no idea why I picked thirteen. It was a number. I could list more.

(The First) 13 Reasons the United States Has Gone Insane

1. Anyone listens to Ted Nugent at all, for any reason. This includes that stupid and derivative song "Catscratch Fever." Did you know that the disease is passed through kittens primarily and can cause sterility? Me neither until I got it once, and the doctor informed me with a glee that was kind of unseemly. So, that song is just stupid. And what Ted thinks otherwise? Who gives a fart?

2. Anyone on the right denies the legislation against women isn't problematic. Are you kidding me? Arizona made pregnancy a legal event that happens two weeks before conception. Seriously, that is the stupidest fucking thing ever. I'm embarrassed for Arizona and for us, for having to put up with Arizona. We've been compared to farm animals. Our ability to obtain birth control has been challenged. It's war, baby. And since women make up at least half the population, it's a profoundly stupid thing for them to do.

3. Anyone who believes education is a bad thing. You know, when I was a kid, education was something that made you a good citizen, something of which to be proud. An uneducated citizen is more easily controlled, not more snobbish. Why in the hell does anyone believe that?!?

4. The whole drone business. I'm curious. How will police be using drones, even in neighborhoods that they might deem 'at risk?' (I'm really just imagining the possibilities.) Even the small ones could pose problems near airports and the like. The large ones ... hell ... no way. Let's all imagine the plane crash caused by one. And the headline. And the really little ones that look like insects? I keep having this vision of smashing one accidentally on my car windshield. Look, we have satellites for this stuff already, unfortunately.

5. Mitt Romney and his wife's attempts to make themselves look like they suffered in years past in a financial way ... it's not going well. He sold stock to supplement their income. Yeah. That's something to which we all have access. Well, I do have access to stock, through my family. Livestock. I could have begged my father to sell a cow. Perhaps for some magic beans.

6. The state of healthcare in the United States compared to the rest of the developed world is bad. The United States came in dead last in care and almost two or three times as expensive as Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, the UK, Germany, and New Zealand. America spends an average of $7200 per capita, while the next costliest country is Canada at $38oo. So, the next time you complain about socialism (which you can't define without checking) and the cost of your taxes (lowest in years), think too how you can't count because, if you paid taxes for universal care, you'd pay less overall. MUCH less. So, either you're agreeing to pay more because you can't count or for some weird principle involving being a rube.

7. People support the travesty that is Toddlers and Tiaras by watching it.

8. People actually believe success is only about hard work. Hard work is not a bad thing, but it does not inevitably lead to success.

9. Studies show immigration is a zero (or even negative) in our country. Still, the xenophobes are passing really dumb laws, guaranteed to make us look like asshats who don't really believe in our own Constitution. Again, embarrassing.

10. Tennessee has passed a law allowing the teaching of creationism. Some people are saying it's okay to teach both to get 'a fair look at both sides.' Um, no. One side is science. The other side is church. If you really want to have religion in public schools, you better think about the consequences really carefully. Will you be okay with Satanism 101? Because you'll have to be!! Along with all the ooothhheeeers you people don't like. You know what I'm saying.

11. There are still no flying cars in my driveway. Yes, that's a personal note. On another personal note, my mother thinks that's okay.

12. Look up aspartame on the Internet. Just look up how it passed the FDA. Stop drinking it right now.

13. People buy water in bottles, water that comes from municiple sources, instead of turning on their faucet and putting it into a container they own. That's just all kinds of stupid. Not only is the water in your faucet regulated, when bottled water is not, they have bottles now with filters built into them. And they look cool.

That's my thirteen reasons. But, it's The Crazy Years over here. What is going on with some of you people out there? Please tell me some sanity is left somewhere and some respect and understanding for our Constitution. And if you spout a talking point at me, I'm going to delete it. I hate that crap. I want a reasoned argument, with fact and things. Not some pundits' drunken musings as they sit on the toilet before they go on camera.

Thirteen is a good start, but, as you said, one could list more. A radio DJ in Ohio recently told someone he should enlist one of his friends to screw (rape) his gay daughter 'til she was straight. USA USA USA!

Yes. You're right. And that's even more insane. But, alas, the conservative alternatives are really, profoundly bad in comparison. Ron Paul's philosophy is ridiculous. What about community? That's vital to any republic, too. I couldn't support any of that crap. At least with Obama, I'll get a few things supported. The real issue, however, is not the President. It's CONGRESS. Almost to a person, they suck.

It's not that you are wrong, O. , it's that our dynamic, can-do society is so full of itself, that it has always thought that WE can make Brainwashing work. I'm referring to Culture clash: the idea that WASPs could turn any number and type whatever of culturally alien groups of people into good "Liberals" , or whatever. It's a lot like saying that since men and women are more or less the same the world over, therefore any man can marry any woman and make it work if they try hard enough. Theoretically, that might be true, but life is too short to make it happen. Where that leaves us now, I would say , is that we should seriously consider following the example of Czecholoslovakia: agree to a "divorce " now of some coherent ethnic groups, (if we can identify them) , and go our separate ways, BEFORE we start shooting (again).

O.: You were quick to say that Ron Paul's ideas are ridiculous, but have you noticed that his program would actually accomplish a great deal of what Liberals claim that they value (no war, etc).? I don't believe myself that Libertarianism is viable, but at least Paul is honest, so much so that I fear for his life.

I shall return after I google "aspartame." Preliminarily, however, your other points seem sound, and I have nothing to offer in opposition . . . with the sole exception of that relating to a flying car, which I must think about more. In the meantime why don't you move on through number 25 because the first thirteen are pretty entertaining.

I don't agree that people can't get along. I'm all for diversity. I don't like racism. AT ALL. I would not support breaking the country up into different ethnic groups, nor do I think it would be a good idea.

Ron Paul has no need to fear for his life, except in the conventional way. And no, I can't support the ideas that would abolish social programs, which I support. I like my fire, police, army, roads and so on. I don't think looking only after oneself is a good idea. I think it's selfish, not very macho at all (although I suspect that's why it's so popular among young men--it sounds so macho but is just dumb), and rather shortsighted. I believe in communities working together. I think that's our best way. And statistically and with the successful examples of other countries, I'm convinced I'm right. But, you're entitled to your viewpoint.

Can't believe you left ALEC and the NRA off the list. Putting more guns on the street to reduce handgun killings is akin to drilling more holes in a leaky boat to let the water out. Only in America.....

Love your reasons, glad to find you!...and with the bottled water, now 97% of us pee particles of plastic. Yup, 97% of us have plastic in our systems from bottled water and plastic packaging of our food, that we heat up in microwaves to leach out the plastic into our food better! Aagghhhh. This country is crazy.And yes, cancer-causing aspartame. More 'crazy.'Sorry you don't have a flying car yet...

Love your avatar, btw. I just left the redwoods last week. *sigh*Signed, southern girl in the west who dreams of the south....but won't live there again, at least until my kids are done with school thanks to the blurring line separating church and state that literally has been blurred out of existence in certain Georgia schools.......oh, maybe I'll just visit the south from now on. : )

Amy: "Yes, Coke Zero contains Aspartame, therefore it should be considered extremely dangerous for long term use. Aspartame studies have also recommended further investigation into possible connections between aspartame and negative effects such as headaches, brain tumors, brain lesions and lymphoma .These findings, combined with possible conflicts of interests involving CEO Donald Rumsfeld in the approval process, have engendered vocal activism regarding the possible risks of aspartame.""Diet Coke has more aspartame with 125 mg vs 58 mg in Coke Zero per 240 ml."(both from wiki answers)

I sing alto, too! Although, right now, I sing Reno Cocktail Waitress. I caught some stupid kid disease and am just getting over it. I sound like I should call everyone "Sweetie" and "Honeybuns" and serve them drinks, before heading off to my cigarette break. (Ugh. Cigarettes. My students who smoke! Their papers! They smell! But, that's another story.)

But, thank you for the well done, even if it was slightly backhanded. I wasn't super mad, only disgusted. I think it's okay to write when disgusted. Super mad .... I usually 'save' and check later. Lately, with the Congress, I've been disgusted pretty much 24/7. I'd have to wait to write until sometime in 2050, if I waited for that to pass.

Thank you, Deborah! That's nice. I wish I could feel comfortable laying claim to the label 'hero,' but I'm not.

I think the real heroes aren't me. Those people are overseas, fighting. They are back here, suffering, because our Congress sucks. I really wish I didn't know that the US is building forces near Iraq presently. :( Damn it.

:) That's okay. Ignore me on that. My family is the KING of the backhanded compliment. I'm probably slightly overly ... something or other. I often hear clinkers like "Your hair looks so much better!" and "Those pants aren't so tight!" from them. I can laugh now, but as a sensitive teen, we had our moments. Alas and bless their hearts.

You could add the rich bitch Housewives from anywhere or the stupid HGTV rich vacation houses or....they just make people think it is normal to act bad or have two giant houses or......sigh....our government is flushing itself down the toilet while we watch stupid shows. I don't know that we can be saved anymore.

You ask for reasoned arguments: there are none. Your "rant" is very opinionated and comes from a limited perspective. I can see that you have asked for a rebut that is not from a "pundits' drunken musings as they sit on the toilet before they go on camera"....? Maybe you should have thought about this before posting....?

The only way we could get crazier is to put the toddlers in Tiaras in charge of the drones.

But it might just be an improvement to put the toddlers in charge of Congress. You might actually be able to talk them into voting for things that promote the general well-being of children. Such as making education affordable and of good quality from K through college.

Brazen Princess: And yet, you present no facts. Just lame insults. So, you know, you fail. Sad. You'll have to try harder than that to look smart. What are your thoughts about how our healthcare situation is so expensive and so bad? Which do you prefer? Being a rube or not being able to count? What about bottled water? Do you have other information? Is it that you like Ted Nugent? What is it?

You see, this is what I mean. You insult, but you can't give a reasoned argument. It's too bad, really. Instead of seeing us as fellow citizens, you try to make yourself superior by calling me names. So, you know, you just aren't making the cut.

Shiral: I know! That makes as much sense as anything.

markinjapan: I see your point. I do. It's just that Ralph should have dropped out. While I realize that bad things went on with Scotus, had he done that, let's be honest, the outcome would have been different despite Jeb's best efforts. :/ I respect that we disagree.

Julie! hi! I agree. It's willful ignorance. What else could it be? Like old Brazen Princess upthread. She simply strikes out, without making any sense or even finding a position beyond one of weakness and high school antics. sigh. Depressing.

Kate, sadly, I'm almost there. They are beyond help almost. Plus, they are killing their economy with all this foolishness. I'm unclear when that's really going to sink in for them.

"Anyone who believes education is a bad thing.... An uneducated citizen is more easily controlled, not more snobbish. Why in the hell does anyone believe that?!?" --- because they aren't educated. And most of the rest of your list follows from that.

You have yet to refute any statements, but it's unsurprising. Because you. can't.

I want to be in the United States, of course. But, I don't want to be in the Conservative Confederation of Religious Morons Who Suck Corporate Dong. Which is what the conservatives are trying to turn it into at present. I believe it's still legal for me to complain and want to change it. At present.

PS--Why don't you go start your own little theocracy somewhere else? Right back at ya!